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Called By Name

I am quite fond of those times when my ordinary experience
becomes a spiritual experience.It
always comes as a surprise.I don’t
think there is anything special I do to make it happen.Rather, I think it is more like grace---like
a gift.Perhaps all I bring to the
experience is some awareness and, then, the ability to interpret the
ordinariness in a spiritual fashion.I
am always grateful.

One such experience just happened to me.As an experience, it was quite simple.In fact, it was so simple, it would be easy
to overlook and completely miss.Now
that I know it also is a spiritual experience, I would be very sad to have
missed it.But of course, if I had not
recognized it, I would not have any occasion to miss it.I would only be poorer for having missed it.

Let me share the brief, simple experience.It was late in the afternoon and I was out
for a run.Even after all these years of
sitting around for most of the day, I still like to go out late in the
afternoon.It is a relief to head
outside and enjoy the weather.Of
course, not all days are created equal when it comes to weather.When you live in the Midwest, it gets cold
and hot.It rains and snows.But I go out most days.

My normal route takes me through the campus and on to the
wonderful Metroparks system that surrounds a rather expansive area around our
metropolitan region.I had my run
through the park and was heading back to get a shower and settle in for the
evening.I had slowed to a walk, as I
began to cross campus.I was not
thinking about anything specific.In
fact, I have no recollection what I was thinking.I don’t have serious thoughts when I am
exercising.To my knowledge, I have
never had a spiritual high.

When you run or walk outside, there are typically many kinds
of noises.Occasionally, I am aware of
birds.To be sure, there inevitably are
cars, trucks and, too often, loud motorcycles.There are countless other noises of which I was mostly unaware.I don’t think I was aware of any particular
sound or noise.I was simply finishing
off the run by walking the short way to the place where my car was parked.

Then I somehow became aware of a particular sound.I distinctly heard it at least twice before I
honed in on it.At some point, I was
aware the sound was pronouncing my name, “Alan.”I heard it again.“Alan”I turned slightly and off to my right I could barely make out a figure
standing beside and slightly behind a fair size bush or small tree.It was a friend of mine with his left hand
held high, waving in my direction.It
was a friend greeting me.

I waved back.My
heart was warmed.I was touched by his
show of attention and affection.It was
an ordinary experience: one friend greeting another.But it gradually became so much more than
that.As I finished my walk, I reflected
on this ordinary experience becoming so much more than that.I felt like the luckiest guy in the
world.Of all the people in the world, I
had been singled out, recognized and engaged.I mattered to someone.

I had a friend---a pal.This experience was slowly becoming a spiritual experience.Through my understanding and interpretation
it was becoming bigger and, even, more profound.I was beginning to see that my friend was
God-like.One of my favorite images for
God is Friend.One of the ways I like to
portray God’s work in the world is to understand God going around making
friends with us.My simple experience
was giving me a chance for some theological insight.

My friend standing beside the bush or tree became God-like
because that is how I understand God.I
suspect that most of us do not encounter God directly.Most of us are not walking down the sidewalk
and discover God immediately, right in front of us.More often, I suspect, God is off to the side
of our ordinary lives---standing there calling us out of the noise of our
lives.

It is so easy to miss that distinct sound.How do we begin to differentiate that
particular sound---often the sound of our name---from the humdrum of the noise
of our ordinary life?It helps to know
that God is always there in our lives---even if it is off to the side.It is reassuring to know that God calls our specific name.In his God-like action my friend was calling my name, “Alan.”

In his gesture I was recognized, affirmed and assured that
all was well.It was a great gift.I am convinced God goes about the world
wanting to send each of us that same message.The good news is it can happen in the midst of our ordinariness.It is a grace---a gift.God called my name.God calls your name, too.

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Mark your calendar!

The Baldwin Wallace Chair in Faith & Life is delighted to announce the 2018 BW Faith & Life Lectures will be delivered on Wednesday, January 31, 2018 and Thursday, February 1, 2018.

The guest speaker for this year's event will be Dr. Michael Higgins, a Distinguished Professor of Catholic Thought. Professor Higgins has been a columnist, a radio documentary maker, a television commentator on Vatican affairs, and a regular contributor to Commonweal magazine. He was, as well, the chief advisor for the widely acclaimed TV series, Sir Peter Ustinov’s Inside the Vatican.